Components of Placebo Effect: Randomised Controlled Trial in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Components of Placebo Effect: Randomised Controlled Trial in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Kaptchuk TJ; Kelley JM; Conboy LA; Davis RB; Kerr CE; Jacobson EE; Kirsch I; Schyner RN; Nam BH; Nguyen LT; Park M; Rivers AL; McManus C; Kokkotou E; Drossman DA; Goldman P; Lembo AJ; Spiegel; Harrington

Bmj

2008

Patients; Research; Physician patient relationships; Acupuncture Therapy - adverse effects; Acupuncture Therapy - methods; Clinical Trials; Irritable bowel syndrome; Irritable Bowel Syndrome - therapy; Placebo Effect

Kaptchuk et al investigate whether placebo effects can experimentally be separated into the response to three components--assessment and observation, a therapeutic ritual, and a supportive patient-practitioner relationship--and then progressively combined to produce incremental clinical improvement in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Results show that factors contributing to the placebo effect can be progressively combined in a manner resembling a graded dose escalation of component parts. Non-specific effects can produce statistically and clinically significant outcomes and the patient-practitioner relationship is the most robust component.

2008-05

Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).

Journal Article

Backlog